| July 14, 2008 JVP E-Newsletter
Tell us what you think! Click here to send JVP feedback Please support our work and donate now. • Lieberman and friends: Don't go to CUFI!
• JVP with PC-USA against anti-semitism and occupation
• Caterpillar CEO Jim Owens agrees to meet
• JVP calls on Obama to speak out against an attack on Iran
• Trees of Reconciliation... almost 3,000!
• Stop Leviev from making profits off the occupation
• Interview with New Profile's Ruth Hiller
Lieberman and friends: Don't go to CUFI! The Christians United for Israel (CUFI) Conference is coming to DC once again (July 21-24). The Conference bills Charles Jacobs(founder of the David Project) in a panel of the basics of t the Arab-Israeli conflict and Daniel Pipes in a panel titled Radical Islam. CUFI is headed by none other than hate-monger Pastor John Hagee, known for his anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and homophobia.
And yet, Senator Lieberman and some of his friends are planning to attend. Indeed Lieberman has called Hagee a "man of God" who is "like Moses," one of the most revered Jewish leaders of all time. Join JVP and the many other organizations who are asking Lieberman and his friends to say NO to Hagee's intolerance. JVP with PC-USA against anti-semitism and occupation The Presbyterian General Assembly (GA) met in San Jose, CA (June 21-28) and voted to continue pressuring corporations that profit from the Israeli occupation--all the way from corporate dialog and shareholder actions, leading to divestment.
With this vote, the church reaffirmed the path it had taken in the last two Assemblies (2004 and 2006). The church did so, despite considerable pressure from a number of Jewish organizations that brought misleading and false accusations of anti-semitism.
JVP supported the church's moves to continue to call for peace and justice for Palestinians and Israelis, all the while being vigilant against anti-semitism. A number of JVPers tabled at the GA or spoke during Committee hearings, providing a visible Jewish presence.
A GA attendee wrote to us : Jewish Voice for Peace played a crucial role for me and my work at Assembly, which was the culmination of the work of two groups for two years. When I arrived at the convention center and met you and your co-workers in person, I dare say that connecting with JVP became the highlight of my ten days there. Caterpillar CEO Jim Owens agrees to meet  For the fifth year in a row CAT's military sales to Israel, dominated the company's shareholder meeting. A shareholder resolution calling on the Caterpillar Board of Directors to report on foreign sales of weapons-related equipment and products, including the destination of those products, received a 3.3% vote at the annual shareholder meeting in Chicago, meeting the minimum threshold of support required for placement on the ballot next year.
The resolution--filed by JVP, Sisters of Loretto, Sisters of Mercy, and 11 other faith-based groups--was introduced by JVP-Chicago's Lynn Pollack. At the end of the meeting, CAT's CEO agreed to meet with JVP, the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, and StopCAT. We'll keep you updated! JVP calls on Obama to speak out against an attack on Iran
Concerned about about the stories in the press in the past few weeks suggesting that the Bush administration might be considering a military strike on Iran, JVP signed an open letter to Senator Obama, asking him to speak out against war with Iran. Trees of Reconciliation... almost 3,000! Thank you to all of you for making the Trees of Reconciliation Campaign a huge success. In just six short months we have almost reached our goal (3,000 trees). More then 295 people have donated enough to plant over 2,800 trees. In 2009, the Palestinian Free Trade Association will plant these olive trees, replacing trees that were illegally destroyed by the Israeli Occupation. We are extremely grateful to our partners for making this campaign such a success!! Stop Leviev from making profits off the occupation
For the past 6 months, JVP has worked with an activist organization Adalah NY in an extremely successful campaign to undermine Lev Liviev and his companies profiting from building illegal settlements in the Palestine. The campaign brought pressure to the U.N. to stop receiving funds (third party or otherwise). The ADL came to Lev Livievs' defense and now another campaign focused on long time social activist Susan Sarandon has picked up as we wait for her response in the face of the U.N. decision.
Interview with New Profile's Ruth Hiller  New Profile, an Israeli Organization working to de-militarize Israeli society, to end Israel's occupation of Palestine. In an effort to explore how JVP activists can become partners with New Profile we asked Ruth Hiller (one of the co-founders) a few questions.
1. Could you explain the goals of New Profile?
New Profile, the Movement to Demilitarize Israeli Society, is a feminist group working to de-militarize society in Israel, to end Israel's occupation of Palestinian land conquered in 1967, to generate a life-preserving, egalitarian, humane society and to uphold the right to freedom of conscience.
Founded in 1998, New Profile's active membership includes women, men and youth who: initiate change in the gendered and militarized mind-sets fuelling war in Israel-Palestine and with other neighboring countries; educate the public on the crucial connection between militarization, inequality and sexism; conduct interventions against the militarization of Israeli education; and uphold the right to all forms of draft resistance and conscientious objection.
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